diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 50c4faf128..2b92732fd7 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -3,6 +3,26 @@ This document summarizes the most important changes in the current Zeek
 release. For an exhaustive list of changes, see the ``CHANGES`` file
 (note that submodules, such as Broker, come with their own ``CHANGES``.)
 
+Zeek 8.0.0
+==========
+
+We would like to thank ... for their contributions to this release.
+
+Breaking Changes
+----------------
+
+New Functionality
+-----------------
+
+Changed Functionality
+---------------------
+
+Removed Functionality
+---------------------
+
+Deprecated Functionality
+------------------------
+
 Zeek 7.2.0
 ==========
 
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 39bcdf3768..e3f57683d1 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-7.2.0-dev.659
+8.0.0-dev.0
diff --git a/testing/btest/scripts/site/local-compat.test b/testing/btest/scripts/site/local-compat.test
index 854021b596..815a9e57ed 100644
--- a/testing/btest/scripts/site/local-compat.test
+++ b/testing/btest/scripts/site/local-compat.test
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 # # simply update this test's TEST-START-FILE with the latest contents
 # site/local.zeek.
 
-# @TEST-START-FILE local-7.2.zeek
+# @TEST-START-FILE local-8.0.zeek
 ##! Local site policy. Customize as appropriate.
 ##!
 ##! This file will not be overwritten when upgrading or reinstalling!